VIVA GOES 63 DEGREES WITH ALEX MOREAU

This issue VIVA’s success story is twenty seven year old Parisian Alex Moreau, who was previously running Simple at the Light and is now opening new French restaurant ‘63 Degrees’...

SO, ALEX, TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF...

“Food had not been the original plan... I have a Masters in International Business and have travelled all over the world, always

originally wanting to go into business.

However, I moved to Manchester with my girlfriend and I was looking at jobs and I saw the position at Simple. I went for it and had been running the restaurant ever since, with my history of and background in food.

My father, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather were always involved in the catering industry and owned their own restaurants, and since I was little I had been in the kitchen. I have worked all sorts of positions in restaurants, from cleaning the bathrooms, to working behind the bar and waiting – and of course, cooking.

Recently my parents retired, and it was always a dream of my father [Eric] and mother [Florence] to run his own business. When the opportunity for 63 Degrees came along I contacted him and asked if he would be interested. He was and my mother and he are now residing in Chorlton and he is the head chef here at 63 Degrees. My father has worked with some well known two-starred Michelin chefs and his most recent job was the head of Research & Development and Quality Control for the second biggest catering company in France, Riem Becker. The role at ‘63 Degrees’ seemed perfect for him.

The name, ’63 Degrees’, comes from years of my father experimenting with cooking... It is what he has found to be the perfect temperature at which to cook chicken, duck and other meats. This is encompassed in two of our signature dishes.

WHAT MAKES THE NORTHERN QUARTER THE IDEAL SPOT FOR THE RESTAURANT?

There is little competition in terms of French cuisine in Manchester, so we are bringing something new to the table. We love food, being creative and playing with it. Food and wine is a passion of my family’s and we love to look after people and make them feel welcome.

The Northern Quarter is a great place to start this venture, as it is fresh, young and similar to what ’63 Degrees’ is all about. The cultural change in Manchester over the past ten years is huge, people are more educated with what they eat and they want to try new things.

To reflect this sort of social culture, our interior encompasses French elements with a modern twist. It is a relaxed and cosy

restaurant, neither awkward nor pretentious. Our lower area is darker and above you is light, which gives an impression of being outside. It’s a great interior – lots of quirky furnishings help it also fit into the vibe we love about the Northern Quarter.

SO, WHEN TEAM VIVA SWING BY FOR DINNER, WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE?

Are you adventurous? (laughs) For the adventurous diner, I would say start with our snails, which come in parsley butter alongside ratte potatoes, and young greens, then move onto our signature dish ’63 Degrees’ chicken breast with morel mushroom sauce and gratin dauphinois... To finish, perhaps ‘Le delice de Florence’, which is a large pistachio macaron filled with raspberries and cream. It is delicious!

We have a range of dishes to choose from – at very affordable prices, including our lunch menu, offering salads, omelettes and gourmet sandwiches (12-5pm) and our Sunday ‘patisserie’ styled brunch (11-5pm). For cocktail lovers, we have a special ‘boutique’ list of ten, including the dessert inspired ‘L’ile flottante’ and the delicious ‘Bonne Maman’. We can also make anything classic and off-the-menu, from your mojitos to your martinis.

If you are looking for somewhere to hold your Christmas dinner this year, ’63 Degrees’ has two set menus at £25 (starter, main, dessert and glass of wine) as well as one at £35 (a starter, choice of two mains, a French cheeseboard, dessert and champagne). You will not be disappointed!

’63 Degrees’ opens at the end of October and can be found next door to The Light Boutique hotel on Joiner Street in the Northern Quarter. The restaurant is open between midday and 11pm Tuesday-Thursday, 12pm-12am Friday and Saturday and 11am-5pm on Sunday. 

words: Matt Horwood